Vickie Firmstone

1
Dental therapists in NHS dentistry teamworking
issues and educational needs

• Vickie Firmstone
• Alison Bullock
• John Frame
• Jane Davies-Slowik

Sue Noble
THE UNIVERSITY
OF BIRMINGHAM
2
Background

• Changing policy and legislative context
• The skill-mix workforce agenda
• From July 2002
• A range of extended duties were introduced for
  dental therapists
• Dental therapists permitted to work in the GDS
• From 2008, mandatory CPD for DCPs will be
  introduced
• In Birmingham
• Full-time three year BSc Dental Hygiene and
  Therapy launched in 2003

3
Overall purpose of the study

• To explore the transition to work and the
  associated learning needs and teamworking issues
  of dental therapists in the NHS.
• Objectives
• To explore dental therapists views towards
  starting their first job, and their career
  aspirations
• To identify therapists induction and continuing
  education needs within their first year of work
• To describe the dental therapists role, duties
  and skill mix within the dental team and any
  organisational issues
• To report dentists motivations for appointing a
  dental therapist and overall reflections about
  working with a dental therapist

4
Study design and methods

• Case study approach in two phases
• Phase 1 early career dental therapists
• Questionnaire to final year Bham undergraduates
  (n15)
• Questionnaire to newly-qualified Bham therapists
  (ongoing)
• Interviews with dentists working alongside
  newly-qualified therapists (recruiting)
• Phase 2 experienced dental therapists
• Interviews with established dental therapists
• Interviews with dentists working alongside
  established dental therapists

5
Interim results from Phase 1

• Undergraduate survey data (collected March 2007)
• 94 (15/16) response rate
• Combined open and closed questions
• In four parts
• - Career plans
• - Preparation for work
• - Education and support needs
• - Views on the role

6
Career plans

• Most (80) had strong intention to work as a
  dental therapist.
• About 40 planned to work in the West Midlands.
• GDS was the most popular choice of dental
  service. Choice would be influenced by
  employment conditions, support in the practice.
• Most (80) planned to work full-time, would
  prefer a mix of NHS/private (92), a combination
  of hygiene and therapy (87) and to treat a mix
  of adults and children (93).

7
Preparation for work
8
Education and support needs views
9
Education and support foundation programme

• Priorities topics

• Views
• For nearly two-thirds it would encourage them to
  seek work in the West Midlands
• Nearly all made positive comments

10
Illustrative quotes

• I feel that support and training for the first
  year after qualifying as a therapist would be a
  very good idea and will enable therapists to
  continue carrying out treatment at a high
  standard.
• I think a VT year should become compulsory in
  order to maintain the standard we are taught here
• Currently not planning to stay here. But if a
  foundation programme were available I probably
  would. Would also make me more confident to work
  as a therapist

11
Views on the role of a dental therapist

• Best thing
• Patient care
• Range/variety of work
• Job satisfaction
• Main challenges
• Needing to promote the role to dentists
• Time management
• Lack of confidence
• Patient management

Working with oral health and restoring teeth to
function as appropriate
Making dentist understand their role in having a
therapist at the practice
Lack of awareness by dentists of the role and
duties of the dental therapist leading to less
employment offers
12
Interim conclusions from undergraduates

• Positive about starting work and keen to work in
  the GDS.
• Perceived lack of awareness amongst dentists
  about therapy role.
• Support in the practice is likely to influence
  their choice of job.
• Most would welcome support in helping them secure
  a job.
• Strong endorsement for a foundation programme for
  newly-qualified dental therapists.

13
Next steps

• Further data collection for Phases 1 and 2
• different sources, new tools.
• Analysis and write up of report
• triangulation
• expected completion Autumn 2007
• Contact details
• Uni of Bham School of Education v.r.firmstone_at_bh
  am.ac.uk
• West Midlands Workforce Deanery
  Erika.Ottley_at_westmidlands.nhs.uk
• Dental Workforce Development Coordinator